1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a head or bottom element of a component support, having guide rails arranged side-by-side and aligned in an insertion direction for receiving a printed circuit board of a plug-in module, wherein the guide rails are formed by one-piece guide elements of the head or bottom element.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A head or bottom element for a component support is known from European Patent Reference EP 1 441 579 A1. Because the guide rails are a part of the head or bottom elements, it is possible to considerably reduce the number of structural elements of the component support. The assembly cost outlay is also reduced. The previously customary insertable separate guide rails, such as are necessary, for example, for a component support in accordance with PCT International Publication WO 00/28799, can be omitted.
One advantage of these head or bottom elements is that with the arrangement of a cooling unit underneath the bottom element, cooling air can pass through the bottom element and can cool the plug-in module.
These advantages of the known head or bottom elements are obtained but at a price associated with a very complicated and expensive manufacture, because the guide rails are of a bottom and two lateral walls and, with the bulges and contact points with the printed circuit boards of the plug-in modules, they can thus not be produced in a simple punching and bending process. Also, these guide rails do not offer a simple solution for providing resilient contact.